{
  "id": 5511718,
  "title": "Zverev goes the distance again to reach US Open third round",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/zverev-goes-the-distance-again-to-reach-us-open-third-round-5511718",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-04T06:46:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/09/04/zverev-goes-the-distance-again-to-reach-us-open-third-round"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Alexander Zverev, the top seed, advanced to the third round of the US Open after a marathon match on Friday. The German player was put through a grueling test in a five-set first round, playing into the early hours of Wednesday. Once again, Zverev had to endure a lengthy battle, this time against France's Quentin Halys, to secure his place in the next round. The 29-year-old's showdown with Halys lasted a total of 4 hours and 33 minutes, concluding just after 2:15am local time.\n\nZverev took control of the first set, breaking Halys to lead 5-4. However, Halys fought back, regaining the lead and forcing a tiebreak. Zverev held his composure, winning the tiebreak 7-3 to lead 2-0. In the second set, Halys broke Zverev once, but the German player held to maintain his 5-4 advantage. Halys had another opportunity to take the set, but Zverev's service game faltered, and the Frenchman capitalized, leveling the score at 1-1.\n\nZverev's third-set performance was remarkable as he fought back from a 4-1 deficit to level the set at 4-4. Halys held his ground, taking a 5-4 lead, and the rest of the set went on serve until the tiebreak, where Zverev gained the upper hand, leading 5-1. In the fourth set, Halys dominated Zverev, leading 5-3, and sent the match into a decider.\n\nIn the fifth and final set, tension was high as Halys made an early mistake, allowing Zverev to break and take a 5-3 lead. Zverev then broke Halys again, securing his second-round victory with a score of 6-3. Zverev will face Chilean Alejandro Tabilo in the next round.",
  "summary": "Alexander Zverev, who finished a five-set first-round battle early Wednesday, was again forced to go the distance before beating France's Quentin Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 6-3.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Zverev goes the distance again to reach US Open third round",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/zverev-goes-the-distance-again-to-reach-us-open-third-round",
        "published": "2026-09-04T06:46:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}